Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

Donald Macleod explores Debussy's life as he approaches his thirties.

Donald Macleod explores Debussy's life as he approaches his thirties, a challenging period both personally and musically.

One of the twentieth century's most original minds, the French composer Claude Debussy has had a profound influence on the course of music. Born in 1862, his precocious talent gained him admittance to the prestigious Paris Conservatoire as a ten year old, one of the youngest pupils in the piano class. There were soon indications of his independence of mind. His student years are littered with reports which, while recognising his gifts also found him to be careless and scatterbrained. Debussy found it difficult to focus on his lessons because he felt frustrated with the rules of composition he was told to follow. He wanted to express himself differently, and if he broke the rules to achieve that, well, in his view, so be it.

This week Donald Macleod begins his stories at the point in Debussy's life where, the young man has dispensed with institutional restrictions. He was free to choose his own path. No more rules, no more regulations. There were still some practical considerations he would have to factor in to his plans. Having fulfilled, for the main, the requirements of the Prix de Rome, he needed to make a professional name for himself, and most urgently, earn some money! All in all, it would prove to be a difficult decade.

Music Featured:

Deux Arabesques Romance (Silence Ineffable) La damoiselle élue, Poem Lyric (Introduction; Élue s'appuyait) String Quartet in G minor, op 10 (1st mvt) Rodrigue et Chimène, Act 1 (excerpt) Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune Images oubliees, No 2 (Souvenir du Louvre) Trois Mélodies de Verlaine Pour le piano (Prelude, Sarabande, Toccata) String quartet in G minor, op 10 (2nd mvt) Proses Lyriques, No 4 (De soir) 6 Épigraphes Antiques Images Oubliees, No 3 (Quelques aspects de "Nous n'irons plus au bois") Proses lyriques, No 3 (De fleurs) Overture to Wagner’s ‘The Flying Dutchman’ (arr for two pianos) Pelléas et Mélisande, Act 4, Scene 4 Pelléas et Mélisande, Act 1 (excerpt) Nocturnes, No 1 (Nuages) Pelléas et Mélisande, Act 1 (excerpt) Pelléas et Mélisande, Act 1, Scene 3 Nocturnes, No 2 (Fêtes) Lindaraja for 2 pianos Pelléas et Mélisande, Act 3, Scene 1 Images, No 2 (Hommage à Rameau) La mer, No 3 (Dialogue du vent et de la mer) Estampes, No 1 (Pagodes) Le Diable dans le beffroi (excerpt) Masques pour piano Fantaisie for piano and orchestra (1st mvt) Pelléas et Mélisande Act 5 (excerpt) La mer, No 3 (Dialogue du vent et de la mer)

Presented by Donald Macleod

Produced by Johannah Smith, for BBC Wales

For full track listings, including artist and recording details, and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after broadcast) head to the series page for Claude Debussy (1862-1918) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0015546

And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z